News Analysis

IPTV now Serves more than 50 million Customers Worldwide

London, UK, September 27, 2011--The Broadband and IPTV Growth Report presented at the Broadband World Forum in Paris, shows that broadband continued to show healthy growth in the first half of 2011. Prepared for the Broadband Forum by industry analysts Point Topic, the figures reveal the broadband subscriber total at the end of June 2011 is now standing at 557.8 million subscriber lines, up by over 29M lines since the start of this year. The second quarter outperformed the same period last year, continuing the trend of stronger growth set in the first quarter’s results announced in June. The good news in broadband was compounded with the news that IPTV has passed a milestone: 51M customers now subscribe to IPTV services worldwide, with France in the lead as top IPTV country.

Full text available to subscribers only

40 Percent of Pay TV Cord Cutters Would Pay More for A La Carte

Boston, MA - September 20, 2011 –Collectively, US Pay TV providers lost 400,000 subscribers in the second quarter—their single worst period in over three years. Cable TV took the brunt of the hit, though Satellite operators were not left unscathed. While much of the subscriber loss can be attributed to traditional economic churners—“deal seekers” looking for a cheaper price—the percentage of those who say they’re giving up on Pay TV altogether is not abating, according to recent research from Strategy Analytics.

Mobile Internet Users will Overtake Fixed Users by 2013

Montpellier, France, September 19, 2011--IDATE has just published its “World Internet Usages & Markets” report. This report provides data and forecasts on Internet services markets – usage and revenue, by country and region – and is structured around the following key services: search engines, social networking, e-commerce, video and online advertising, both fixed and mobile. It covers Europe, North America and Asia, and analyses both the major trends in each segment and the market’s key players.

Full text available to subscribers only

Affordability is the Next Challenge for Broadband says Point Topic

London, September 12, 2011--The latest data from analyst firm Point Topic has revealed the current affordability of broadband around the world highlights a stark contrast in broadband prices which will challenge the industry as it looks to increase global penetration.  “Broadband prices can be over a thousand times higher in real terms in the poorer countries,” said Oliver Johnson, CEO at Point Topic.

Full text available to subscribers only

GEO Launch Supply: Clouds above Two Launch Pads

by NSR

Cambridge, Mass, September 6, 2011--In NSR’s recently released Global Satellite Manufacturing and Launch Markets (GSMLM) report, a possible GEO Launcher over-supply, and thus the return to strong competition, was mentioned as a possibility in the launch market. However, recent developments from ILS/Krunichev and SpaceX may end up limiting the supply and the corresponding competition.

Full text available to subscribers only

Public Sector Support for New Satellite Ventures

by  Jan Grøndrup-Vivanco

Paris, September 2, 2011-- It’s easy to forget that the four largest satellite commercial operators all started out with government support. Intelsat, Inmarsat and Eutelsat were inter-governmental organisations for the first 25 years of their existence and SES started out with backing from Luxemburg’s government and government-owned banks. Governments continue to play an important role in getting new commercial satellite operators off the ground in emerging markets.

What Enterprise Customers Really Want

The enterprise customer is the most attractive yet elusive for the satellite service provider 

by Robert Bell

New York, NY, September 2, 2011The satellite communications market is a stool standing on three legs.  There is the media and entertainment leg, for which satellite provides a uniquely cost-effective, one-to-many solution.  There is the government and military leg, where satellite’s primary advantage is its ability to go places where terrestrial alternatives are unreliable or nonexistent.  And there is the enterprise leg, serving all other kinds of organizations.  Of the three legs of the stool, the enterprise market is in some ways the most attractive but also the most elusive.

50% more Satellites to be Launched in the Decade Ahead

Government demand continues to drive the market, but remains concentrated in a handful of countries

Paris, August 25, 2011 – Euroconsult, forecast today that an estimated 1,145 satellites will be built for launch during the next ten years (2011-2020), 51% more satellites than the previous decade. These projections come from Euroconsult’s just-released “Satellites to be Built & Launched by 2020, World Market Survey.” According to the report, now in its 14th edition, revenues from the manufacture and launch of these 1,145 satellites will be worth $196 billion worldwide, of which 70% can be attributed to government demand.

Full text available to subscribers only

European Pay TV Alive and Well, Despite Struggling Economy

London, UK– August 24, 2011– Despite a bleak economic climate, European Pay TV providers continue to add new subscribers. Collectively, Europe’s top ten providers added nearly 1.5 million new subscribers in the first quarter of 2011, according to a report just published by Strategy Analytics.

U.S. Space Lead Erodes for Fourth Straight Year As Middle-Tier Nations Ascend

Bethesday, MD, August 15, 2011--Russia, China, Japan and India are among the countries challenging the US in Space leadership according to the fourth annual Space Competitiveness Index Report by Futron.

Full text available to subscribers only